The Politics of Analogizing Language and Music

A panel discussion following the premiere of Mohammed Fairouz's Symphony No. 3 "Poems and Prayers."

Description

Voice, lyricism, tonality, counterpoint, the operatic: literary critics and social theorists often make recourse to the metaphors of musicality. Similarly, musicians often draw upon literature, not merely by writing or incorporating it in the form of lyric, but as theoretical inspiration. A few undertake theoretical labor in and through their music. Such is the case with Mohammed Fairouz.

Following on the world premiere of Fairouz's Symphony No. 3: "Poems and Prayers," which weaves together poetic texts from the Arabic, Aramaic and Hebrew, this panel opens up discussion about music and literature to questions of translation and comparative composition, as well as the politics of analogizing language and music.